Bomb release device



G. L. PIGMAN BOMB RELEASE DEVICE Feb. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 13, 1956 INVENTOR G. L. PIGMAN was? ATTOR ITfEYS Feb. 7, 1961 HGMAN2,970,542

BOMB RELEASE DEVICE Filed July 13, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIOR G. L.PIGMAN ATTORNEYS F 7, 1961 a. L. PIGMAN BOMB RELEASE DEVICE 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 13, 1956 INVENTOR G. L. PIGMAN Feb. 7, 1961Filad July 13, 1956 G- L. PIGMAN BOIIB RELEASE DEVICE FIG.5.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR G. L. PIGMAN Feb. 7, 1961 G. L. PIGMAN BOMBRELEASE DEVICE Filed July 15, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG].

FIGJO.

INVENTOR G. L. PIGMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 2,970,542Patented Feb. 7, 1961 BOMB RELEASE DEVICE George L. Pigman, Homewood,Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed July 13, 1956, Ser. No.597,831

2 Claims. (Cl. 102-71) The present invention relates to a bomb adaptedto be dropped from an aircraft in flight and more particularly to adevice for transporting and releasing a plurality of miniature bombsupon a target.

Moreover, the invention contemplates the provision of a bomb assemblycomprising a pair of normally locked separable shells or casings forreleasably maintaining a plurality of miniature bombs therein and havingnew and improved means for unlocking and separating the shells to efiectthe release of the miniature bombs.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved meansfor transporting and releasing a plurality of miniature missiles from aseparable carrier missile.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedcarrier missile characterized by explosive means arranged to initiatethe operation of a release mechanism to permit the release of aplurality of miniature missiles contained within the carrier missile.

Still another object is the provision of a carrier missile comprising apair of normally locked separable members, which are unlocked andseparated in response to an explosive actuated device whereupon acluster of miniature missiles is dispersed therefrom at a predeterminedheight above the ground.

A still further object is the provision of a carrier missile having apair of normally locked separable members hinged at one end andcomprising new and improved explosive actuated releasing means forunlocking and separating the hinged member.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partially in section of the carriermissile constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the carrier missileand locking means thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the explosive device foractuating the release mechanism to a release position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the shell elementsunlocked and separated;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view of one of thelocking devices;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of one of thelocking devices;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the carrier bomb as seen from the tail ortrailing end thereof;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the hingeconnection between the separable shell members of the carrier missile;and,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line10-10 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof,the numeral 10 generally indicates the carrier missile comprising anelongated casing or shell 11, split longitudinally as at 12 along theentire length thereof to provide a pair of semicircular members 13 and14, the casing 11 having a nose 15 and tail fin assembly 16. The member13 is provided with a plurality of mutually spaced supports H-shaped incross-section and reinforcing elements 17, the member 14 being providedwith a plurality of complementary supports and reinforcing elements 18,the supports 17 and 18 being secured to the members 13 and 14 in anysuitable manner such, for example, as by welding the parts together.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 10, the tail assembly 16 comprisesa pair of substantially U-shaped members 19 and 21 detachably securedtogether by a plurality of pins 22 carried by member 19 and disposedwithin complementary slots 23 formed in member 21,

the members 19 and 21 each being provided with fins 24 secured theretoand to the semicircular elements 13 and 14 respectively. "the aforesaidslot and pin arrangement is provided to permit separation of members 19and 21 when the normally locked elements 13 and 14 are actuated to arelease position. The elements 13 and 14 are maintained in a normallylocked condition by a plurality of latches generally indicated by thereference character 25, and arranged in opposition with respect to eachother and bridging the longitudinal split portion 12 of the easing 11.As shown in Fig. 9, the elements 13 and 14 are hinged at the trailingend of the missile as at 26, the hinge constituting support 27 mountedon member 13 and having a notch 26 formed therein for detachablyreceiving a pin 29 carried by a support 31 mounted on the element 14whereupon the sections 13 and 14 are additionaliy detachably lockedtogether.

Referring now to the latches 25, it will be noted, Figs. 6 and 7, thateach latch comprises a link 32 pivotally mounted at one end thereofbetween a pair of brackets or supports 33 by a pin 34, the bracketsbeing carried by member 14, the other end of the link having a pin 35secured thereto and extending outwardly trom opposite surfaces thereofto provide a pair of protruding lugs 30. A pair of locking detents 36are pivotally mounted at one end thereof on a pair of brackets orsupports 40 respectively by a pin 38, the brackets being carried bymember 13, the other end of each detent having a notch or recess 39formed therein for receiving one of the lugs 30.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, each of the latches 25 isprovided with an actuating shaft 50 rotatably supported on member 13 bybearings 41 carried by member 13 and having a plurality of releasedevices or cams 42 mounted thereon, each cam being provided with a stop43 normally in engagement with a complementary member 44 bordering thenotches 39 respectively in such a manner that they maintain the latchesin a normally locked condition and are capable of releasing the latchesas the shafts 50 are rotated and the cams are moved thereby an amountsufliciently to cause disengagement of members 43 on the cams frommembers 44 on detents 36. It will be understood that when the latchesare in a locked condition, the force: from links 32 pivoted on pin 34with respect to detents 36 pivoted on pin 38 exerts a moment about pin38 in such a direction as to maintain the latches locked against. theaforesaid stops.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 an explosive actuator generallyindicated by the reference character 45 is arranged in the forward endof the casing 11, and comprises a housing 46, split as at 47 to providea pair of separable members 48 and 49. A tubular element 51 is disposedwithin and secured to member 49 and has a plunger 52 releasably lockedthereto by a shear pin 53.

A recess 54 is formed in one end of the plunger 52, the other endthereof having a head 55 formed thereon in predetermined spaced relationwith respect to the end wall 56 of member 48. The plunger 52 carries apair of oppositely disposed arms 57, the arms each extending throughcomplementary slots 58 (Figs. 4 and 5) formed in member 48 and havingrack teeth formed thereon for engagement with a pinion 60 mounted on theend of each of the shafts 50 whereupon rotative movement is transmittedto the shafts 50 and earns 42 to release the latch members 25 inresponse to movement of the plunger 52.

An explosive charge 59, Fig. 3, is disposed within the recess 54, thecharge being maintained within the recess by a retaining plug 61 inthreaded engagement with the housing 49 and tubular element 51 and inabutting engagement with the charge.

.As more clearly shown in Fig. 2 a plurality of bomb assemblies 62comprising a number of miniature bombs B are arranged within the casing11 and releasably locked together in any suitable manner such, forexample, as by a plurality of retaining rings 63, each ring beingpreferably formed of a plurality of separable segmental elements adaptedto separate and disperse the miniature bombs as the assemblies arereleased from the casing 11.

A suitable fuze 64 such, for example, as a conventional proximity fuzemay be mounted in the nose 15 of the bomb as at 65, the fuze beingadapted to fire the ex plosive charge 59 after the bomb has beenreleased from an aircraft in flight and when the bomb is a predetermineddistance above the ground target area. The explosive charge, if desired,may be provided with a suitable time delaypyrotcchnic element adapted tobe fired as the carrier missile is released from the aircraft thereby tofire the explosive charge in time delayed relation with respectto therelease of the carrier missile from the aircraft. By the aforesaidfiring arrangements the miniature bombs will be released and dispersedto provide a most effective and destructive explosive pattern upon thetarget area.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the aforesaid members 13and 14 are normally locked to gether by the latches 25 and hingestructure, and maintained in a locked condition until the explosivecharge 59 is fired. When this occurs the force of the explosion willdrive the piston or plunger 52 outwardly with suflicient force to severshear pin 53 whereupon the head 55 on the plunger 52 moves intoengagement with wall 56 and forcibly separates members 13 and 14. Itwill be understood, however, that during movement of the plunger 52 andbefore the head 55 engages wall 56, rotary movement is imparted toshafts 50 through rack arms 57 and pinions 60. Upon rotation of shafts50, cams 42 are rotated in a clockwise direction, whereupon detents 36and links 32 are moved in a counterclockwise direction until stops 43 oncams 42 disengage stops 44 on detents 36. After the detents have beenmoved a predetermined amount, it will be understod that the latch forcepasses a dead-center position thereby causing the moment of the latchforce to change directions such that it assists in further opening ofthe latches and subsequently causes separation of the detents 36 fromthe links 32. When this occurs the members 13 and 14 are unlocked andforcibly blow apart as shown in Fig. 5 whereupon the bomb assemblies 61are released and the miniature bombs B dispersed upon a target area asthe separable segmental elements of the retaining rings 63 fall awayfrom the miniature bombs.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that a new and improvedcarrier missile has been devised having a pair of normally lockedseparable members for releasably maintaining a plurality of bombassemblies therein, the locking means comprising a plurality of latchesand rotary cams, the cams being actuated by an explosive device torelease the latches and forcibly separate the pair of members thereby torelease the bomb assemblies upon a target.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent inthe United States is:

1. A carrier bomb adapted to contain a plurality of miniature missilescomprising a casing comprising a pair of normally locked semicylindricalmembers, a pair of oppositely disposed shafts rotatably supported withinsaid members, a plurality of latches associated with each of said shaftsfor locking said members and movable to a release position to unlock themembers, a plurality of detents pivotally mounted on one of said membersin engagement with said latches respectively for maintaining saidlatches in a locked condition and adapted to move said latches to saidrelease position as said detents are moved a predetermined amount, meanson said shaft for moving said detents upon rotation of said shafts, ahousing having a pair of separable elements disposed within said casingand carried by said members respectively, an explosive charge arrangedwithin one of said elements, a plunger releasably locked to one elementand movable to a release position within the other element in responseto an explosive force applied thereto, means for firing said charge andapplying said force to said plunger, rack means on said plunger, andcomplementary means on each of said shafts in engagement with said rackmeans for rotating said shafts as said plunger is moved to said releaseposition, said plunger being adapted when in said release position toforcibly separate said members subsequently to the release of saidlatches thereby to disperse said missiles upon a target.

2. A plurality of means for releasably locking a pair of pivotedsemicylindrical casings together, each of said means comprising a linkpivotally mounted on one of said casings, detents pivotally mounted onthe other of said casings, each of said detents having a bifurcated endportion formed thereon, a pin carried by said link and being normallyseated in the bifurcated portion of said detents, the detents and linkbeing disposed in alignment for locking said casings together, arotatable cam normally abutting said detents for effecting unseating ofsaid pin upon rotation thereof thereby to unlock said casings; at leastone shaft rotatably secured to said other casing and upon which therotatable cam of each of said means is fixedly mounted; a gear fixedlymounted on said shaft; an elongated housing secured within each of saidcasings, said housings being in registry when said casings are lockedtogether, a slidable piston positioned in said housings, at least onearm perpendicularly afiixed to said piston; rack teeth formed on theextremity of said arm and operatively engaging said gear; and an ignitorarranged in said housing, said ignitor being adapted to move saidplunger within said housing upon ignition thereof, thereby to effectrotation of said shaft and unlocking of said casings, said piston alsoforcibly effecting opening of said casings subsequent to the unlockingthereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,364,241 Brownell Jan. 4, 1921 2,071,594 Trimbach Feb. 23, 19372,489,984 Shoemaker Nov. 29, 1949 2,753,613 Baker July 10, 1956

